Deep fryers are commercially used by restaurants, institutional kitchens, and fast food establishments for cooking a variety of food products, such as french fries, fish, fried chicken, and the like. The food product is cooked by totally immersing it within a vat or tank that is filled with heated oil or shortening. The oil may be heated using a flow of heated gas that is forced or drawn through a heat exchanger having flow passages that are located within or external to the cooking vat. A gas burner is provided to heat the gas circulating within the heat exchanger. Baffles, such as spiral baffles and disc baffles, have been known to be provided within the flow passages of heat exchangers to increase the turbulent flow of gas and enhance heat transfer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a baffle for a deep fryer which reduces or wholly overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known devices. Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments.